Eaglesham greenbelt reprieve

Gregor Hollerin

EAGLESHAM residents breathed a sigh of relief this week when plans for a housing development were refused.

The council voted to deny developer Taylor Wimpey’s application to build 85 homes on protected greenbelt land on Humbie Road.

Meanwhile, the planning committee did approve the development of five large detached houses in place of one bungalow.

Despite the apparent good news, a local councillor has warned residents to beware of the whims of the Scottish government reporter.

Former planning chair Ian McAlpine, a Newton Mearns south councillor, told The Extra: “The council has had its decisions overturned by the reporter on a number of occasions.

“I hope the developer doesn’t appeal to the reporter and just leaves things as they are. If they do, it is always a concern as you never know what will happen.

“I hope that’s it finished. Local residents and myself want the matter to come to an end”.

Councillor McAlpine is pleased with the decision made by the planning committee.

He continued: “I was hopeful for this outcome and had spoken to a number of my colleagues, and they all said they wouldn’t support this application.

“I have taken on board the comments about the greenbelt and the council has to. I hope this will be the start of making sure developments only take place within areas designated by the local plan.

“Five houses is a much more sensible approach”.

Conservative group leader Gordon Wallace is also supportive of the the decision.

He said: “Conservatives, the only council group united in its condemnation of this planning application, are grateful to the residents of Humbie Road and it’s surrounds who turned up at the planning meeting en masse.

“They spoke with such clarity and conviction against a planning application that should never have seen the light of day.

“The entire process has caused considerable anxiety for many who must now be questioning what it was that gave the developer the idea that this application, which must have incurred considerable cost, would be approved”.

Local couple Jim and Irene Ferguson (both 50) believe East Renfrewshire has become “far too built up”.

Jim commented: “Development needs to be stopped. Quite simply, the local authority have ignored local people for too long”.

Retired cop John Stewart (58) think more needs to be invested in East Renfrewshire’s infrastructure before further development is considered.

He said: “East Renfrewshire needs more public gyms and swimming pools, better roads, a cinema and more pubs so people actually spend money in their local area rather than going into Glasgow”.

And 40-year-old surveyor Mark Taylor, from Newton Mearns, asked: “Where else are people meant to go? People need housing.

“I can live with more houses being built — but I can’t live with an incinerator on my doorstep, so that is my biggest concern at the moment”.